Poll: In cases of quality disputes, have you ever been hired as a third party for quality assessment? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "In cases of quality disputes, have you ever been hired as a third party for quality assessment?".
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I'm a resource for the office where I used to work. They sometimes ask my opinion in cases of disagreement.
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But never just for an opinion - they always want it sorted out too
I hate it though and don't do it any more
| | | | | Not exactly 'hired'... | Dec 4, 2014 |
... because I make it a point NOT to have an economic interest at stake in such cases.
I do it whenever asked by my regular clients only, absolutely free. This doesn't occur often.
If requested to do so by anyone else offering to pay me for it, I'd have a couple of questions:
If they trust my judgment and ability so much, why did they hire someone else and now want my opinion on what they got? Why didn't t... See more ... because I make it a point NOT to have an economic interest at stake in such cases.
I do it whenever asked by my regular clients only, absolutely free. This doesn't occur often.
If requested to do so by anyone else offering to pay me for it, I'd have a couple of questions:
If they trust my judgment and ability so much, why did they hire someone else and now want my opinion on what they got? Why didn't they hire me to do it right away?
If they used someone cheaper, what is the point of asking me now if what they got is worth what they paid for it?
As I won't be getting paid, if the translation is good, I can be straightforward and tell them so. I won't be expected to write an overly zealous report explaining why.
On the other hand, if the translation is bad, I won't be expected to fix it completely and write a detailed report explaining each change I'd make... which should cost at least as much as redoing from scratch. A few selected examples should drive my message home.
Most of all, I won't be nitpicking to assert that I am a better translator than whoever did that job; I'll just give them my honest opinion, period. ▲ Collapse
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Gudrun Maydorn (X) 
Germany
Local time: 04:57
English to German
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but only when I was an in-house translator.
| | | | | Not "hired" per se... | Dec 4, 2014 |
... but I've been asked to evaluate a few test translations by one of my regular clients, which I do ad honorem once in a while. They do not usually recruit new translators, so this may happen once every couple of years only.
Off topic: html tags not working? Tried to use italics and couldn't...
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especially two of my regular clients frequently use me for a third opinion.
I believe they have learned I am being fair and not out to crucify the other translator.
[Edited at 2014-12-04 13:51 GMT]
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... though I usually do it for free.
I am asked for an opinion, but try to provide 'chapter and verse' from reference sources explaining how I arrived at it.
Scandinavians are generally very good at English, and often the issue is that a translator has used a term in a technical sense or a term that the client has not seen before, or cannot find in the 'little red dictionary'. That does not mean it is wrong, and if we can explain that tactfully to the client, everyone i... See more ... though I usually do it for free.
I am asked for an opinion, but try to provide 'chapter and verse' from reference sources explaining how I arrived at it.
Scandinavians are generally very good at English, and often the issue is that a translator has used a term in a technical sense or a term that the client has not seen before, or cannot find in the 'little red dictionary'. That does not mean it is wrong, and if we can explain that tactfully to the client, everyone is usually happy.
Sometimes I quite enjoy showing that we translators do actually know what we are doing!
However, I agree with Chris S - it is no fun at all when there really is an error or a poor translation that has to be sorted out. But someone has to do it.
I charge if it takes a long time to deal with... ▲ Collapse
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Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 11:57
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Yes, a few times | Dec 4, 2014 |
- but not in disputes about quality (off topic?)
Many years back I was asked a few times to evaluate the English translations of the same Japanese text submitted by several translators as trial translations for a customer of mine. On one particular occasion, I read through this perfect English, far superior to that written by even supposedly 'native English speakers' I have asked to do trial translations. The actual writing was basically cursive style calliigraphy and the English wa... See more - but not in disputes about quality (off topic?)
Many years back I was asked a few times to evaluate the English translations of the same Japanese text submitted by several translators as trial translations for a customer of mine. On one particular occasion, I read through this perfect English, far superior to that written by even supposedly 'native English speakers' I have asked to do trial translations. The actual writing was basically cursive style calliigraphy and the English was flawless, so beautiful like poetry. Words blended into each other and flowed together effortlessly. It was a joy to read. I was also absolutely astounded to learn afterwards that the translator was a deaf Japanese person. This was a very humbling experience.
Even now as I remember this, I have this nice fuzzy feeling coursing through me. A nice memory. Enjoy. 
[Edited at 2014-12-04 13:42 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Germany
Local time: 04:57
English to German
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Thank you for sharing this with us!
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 23:57
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Yes, all the time, but "hired"? | Dec 6, 2014 |
Hired is not the correct word here. The person who is "hired" for this purpose is the proofreader/revisor.
But, yes, it happens all the time. And I've "settled" many disputes in that sense.
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